The Florida Department of Health reported 15,299 new positive coronavirus cases Sunday. The new number shatters all previous records for the highest total of positive cases in one day.
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The new cases bring Florida’s overall total to 269,811 since early March.
The state also broke its record for the most COVID-19 tests administered in a single day. According to officials, 99,003 new tests were reported.
The Florida Department of Health data shows 18,271 have received hospital care due to the virus. The state also reported a total of 4,242 deaths since March.
Gov. DeSantis held a news conference Saturday to address concerns and provide an update on the state’s fight against the respiratory illness.
During the news conference, the governor discussed options for residents of long term care facilities.
“We now established 13 COVID dedicated nursing facilities in the state of Florida. These are nursing home facilities where all the patients are COVID positive. This way they’re able to be isolated,” DeSantis explained “We have some nursing facilities in Florida that are phenomenal that could isolate no problem,” DeSantis said.
The first facility was in Jacksonville with 146 beds, the governor explained. Now 13 facilities have been designated to treat patients with COVID-19.
“We have the funds, you know, we would like to expand more, we’re going to try to expand more,” DeSantis said. “Some of it’s just a matter of making sure you have enough staff.
Long term care residents represent over 50% of the fatalities in Florida, officials said.
The daily positivity rate, which is the number of new positive cases compared to those tested on a given day, hit a new record Thursday at 18.39% and on Saturday it was 11.25%, according to the DOH.
Below is the state dashboard. If you are having trouble viewing the dashboard on mobile, click here.
If you are having trouble viewing the dashboard on mobile, click here.
Here are four things to know about COVID-19 Sunday:
1. Disney World Reopens: On Saturday, Walt Disney World opened up two of its four theme parks, Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom. The reopening came as a huge surge of Floridians have tested positive for the new coronavirus in recent weeks. On Saturday, there were about 10,000 new cases reported by the Florida Department of Health. The park has made numerous changes to its procedures to help ensure safety to both the guest and its cast members. Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios are scheduled to reopen on July 15.
2. Trump wears mask in public for first time: President Donald Trump wore a mask during a visit to a military hospital on Saturday, the first time the president has been seen in public with the type of facial covering recommended by health officials as a precaution against spreading or becoming infected by the novel coronavirus. Trump was wearing a mask in Walter Reed’s hallway as he began his visit. He was not wearing one when he stepped off the helicopter at the facility.
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3. Florida governor resists ordering masks: A doctor’s group gathered outside the Governor’s mansion in Tallahassee on Friday morning to urge him to issue an order mandating the use of face masks statewide. Physicians for Social Responsibility said it had gathered more than 1,000 signatures from physicians across Florida calling for the mandatory use of masks in public places as an important step in controlling the spread of the virus. In most of the state’s heavily populated areas, local mask orders are already in place.
4. Osceola Heritage Park offers more COVID-19 testing: Health officials in Osceola County said they are continuing to offer coronavirus testing because the demand for it is high. Osceola County Health Department Assistant Administrator Bret Smith said people were lining up hours before testing began during the week. Health officials said turnout at the park shows the demand for testing is high. The health department is continuing to offer free testing Monday, July 13 through Friday, July 17 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Appointments are not required for the drive-thru event.
Here’s a breakdown of coronavirus numbers by county in the Central Florida region:
| County | Total cases | New cases | Deaths | Hospitalizations | New hospitalizations |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brevard | 3,369 | 132 | 29 | 199 | 13 |
| Flagler | 493 | 20 | 5 | 43 | 0 |
| Lake | 2,517 | 123 | 27 | 147 | 0 |
| Marion | 1,489 | 86 | 15 | 161 | 2 |
| Orange | 18,001 | 1,371 | 80 | 553 | 4 |
| Osceola | 4,167 | 306 | 31 | 221 | 3 |
| Polk | 7,246 | 263 | 140 | 577 | 12 |
| Seminole | 4,229 | 146 | 24 | 205 | 0 |
| Sumter | 655 | 33 | 18 | 82 | 1 |
| Volusia | 3,805 | 171 | 77 | 309 | 5 |
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